Episode 014: Save $ and the Planet with Imperfect Produce w/ guest Evan Hazelett

Imperfect Produce tackles one of America’s biggest sources of food waste: the farm, where 20% of fresh fruits and vegetables are thrown away because of minor cosmetic deficiencies. 

ABOUT IMPERFECT PRODUCE:

Imperfect was started by three national leaders in food waste. The Bens — Ben Chesler and Ben Simon — two of Imperfect’s co-founders, four years ago co-founded Food Recovery Network (FRN), an organization that galvanizes student volunteers to recover wasted food from their campus dining halls and donate it to those in need. Together, the Bens grew FRN to become the largest student led food waste movement in the country. Ron Clark, Imperfect’s third co-founder, worked with the California Association of Food Banks for 15 years, leading their Farm to Family program and building relationships with farmers across California. They united to tackle one of America’s biggest sources of food waste: the farm, where we throw away 20% of fresh fruits and vegetables because of minor cosmetic deficiencies. We buy that produce from farmers, box it up, and deliver it directly to homes at a huge discount.

ABOUT EVAN…

Evan grew up in Amherst, MA, a lovely New England town with great character and intellectual enthusiasm. He eagerly seeks to fill up all of his free time with an array of group activities — music, sports, reading (reading can be a group activity!), hiking, hanging with friends — which has been the case since he was very little. Evan went to Wesleyan University for undergrad where he studied economics and environmental studies, played soccer, sang in an a cappella group, and did theater. Two years out of college, he’s so thrilled to be living in the Bay Area working for the awesome social enterprise, Imperfect. It’s like a dream come true — he’s living in a place he dreamt of for quite some time working in the field he’s most passionate about surrounded by wonderful people, and gets to spend at least half of his time outside!

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE…

00:33- Introduction of Evan Hazlett, ugly produce enthusiast with Imperfect Produce

01:00 – Who are the “Bens”

01:49 – What is Imperfect Produce

02:30 – How Evan got his start with ugly produce and his passion for environmental science

04:10 – Volunteering for Food Recovery Network

“Food is the critical nexus between all of these different societal issues, public health, in economics, environmental degradation, land use, agriculture, climate change, water security.”

06:34 – Evan talks about the deep discounts available by using imperfect produce

08:06 – The ugliest produce Evan’s ever scene

“I was expecting this to be uglier.”

10:10 – Convincing folks on ugly produce vs. regular produce

12:00 – Ensuring that ugly produce tastes good

14:14 – Conventional and organic fruits and vegetables

15:01 – More than 50% of all produce is grown in California

15:11 – How can someone in the Bay Area buy imperfect produce?

16:38 – Plans for expansion

17:50 – Reaching more people through retail grocery stores

19:00 – Food waste and conserving resources – The “Age of Abundance”

22:00 – How the government can help reduce waste

26:25 – The loss of Home Economics and today’s cus

28:35 – What can those of us outside the Bay Area do to get imperfect food?

33:02 – How Evan eats and shops

34:47 – Resources at the Imperfect Produce site

36:40 – Proper storage of produce

“Your vote does matter. Your own habits and your own consumption do matter.”

SOME OF THE RESOURCES DISCUSSED…

Visit Imperfect Produce  to learn more about ugly fruits and vegetables or check them out on social media:

Twitter: @imperfectfruit

Facebook: ImperfectFoods

Al Gore’s, “Inconvenient Truth”

Michael Polllan, “The Ominvore’s Dilemma”

Just Eat It

Blue Apron

NRDC Website, Dana Gunder’s reports

Tristram Stuart Ted Talk – the Global Foodwaste Scandal

Jamie Oliver

“American Wasteland”, Jonathan Bloom

The @UglyFruitandVeg Campaign

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

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Until next time!

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